Method and apparatus fob contb



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Dec. 4 ,1923.

u. H. WlLsEY l METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLIG INTERNAL CQMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Oc't. 29

Dec. '4, 1923. 1,476,316

y 1|. H. WnLslz-:Y

METHOD AND APPARAl'l-US FOR CONTROLLING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Oct. 29. 1920 2 Sheelzs-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 4, 1923.

Mii

Application filed (tolier 29, 1920. Serial ll'o. 420,329.

To oli' who/1n t may concern.' i

lie it .known that ll, llnvniv H. VViLsnr, a citizen oit the United States, residing at Chir-ago, in the county oi Cook and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful. improvements in Methods and Apparatus i'or Controlling internal-Combustion Engines, el which the following is a specification.

lvly invention relates to control systems tor internal combustion engines and more smecilically to an improved method and apimratus for automatically providing at all the various combinations or" speeds and loads under which such engines are operated, the moet d csirable mixture for the particular engine in question under the particular conditions oi service at that instant.

n. brief consideration or the different kinds oi? mixtures required and the conditions under which each mixture should be :supplied will lfacllitate an understanding ol my invention. For a maximum oi power at any speed the mixture should he rich enough to secure a maximum or energy per unit olf and should be as cold as possible so that the greatest possible mass ott mixture will be drawn into the cylinder on each suction stroke.

The most economical mixture from the point ot view of fuel consumption and also .trom the point of view of keeping the cylinders and spark plugs clean and tree irom carbon, is a relatively wealr mixture supplied at a relatively high temperature. rl`his mixture will enable the engine to operate with satisfactory smoothness and sutlicient power at moderate loads and speeds.

The conditions under which internal combustion engines are operated can be broadly divided into operation at extreme load at any speed; operation at moderate loads, which must necessarily mean slow or inoderate speeds since high speeds cannot be attained under load without high aower; and idling or operation at practicaly no load and a relatively low speed. rlhe mixture to be supplied when the engine is idling may be made hot and lean for maximum economy although tor a maximum. of convenience a 'lairly hot and iairly rich mixture is desirable as the engine can be throttled down to lower speeds with such a mixture. itin apparatus according to my invention can readily be arranged to secure maxi- .muxn economy or maximum convenience in idling or any compromise between the two to suit the wishes ci the individual user.

There is another possible condition ot operation to be encountered when the engine is allowed to race by inexperienced or careless operators. Vlhile l prefer not to in* clude this condition as one ol the service conditions of the engine, it will be apparent that according to my invention `this condition also is provided for.

The primary object ot my invention is to provide the proper mixture for the engine at all times. l have outlined aoove the mixtures which are considered most advantageous Jfor the operation of the best inn ternal combustion engines at present on the market, but it will be apparent that the principles of my invention may readily be applied to provide almost any variation of richness or temperature or hoth to corre spend to the needs oi' the present day engines or oi engines requiring mixtures el? a radi cally different nature.

Another object o'l my invention is to provide a unitary and compact device i'or handling both the intake and the exhaust and ior providing lfor proper heat interchange be tween the same.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying` drawings, Figure l. is a side elevation oi a carburetor and intahe and exhaust manifolds illustrating the application oit my invention to a well known type of internal combustion engine. Figure 2 is a plan view of the exhaust manifold 'from underneath and partly in section. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the exhaust manifold. Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the manifold and valve carried thereby. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the manifold in the plane oi the inlet passage. Fig. 6 is a side view of the valve, including 'the throttle controlled sleeve; and llig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 oit Fig.

In the embodiment of my invention selected for illustration, the exhaust manifold l0 is designed to receive the exhaust trom each of the '.tour cylinders of the engine through exhaust ports l2, le, i6 and 18, and is equipped with downwardly projecting bosses 2O delining short passageways 22 opening into `the two inlet ports oi' the engine.

jhave illustrated conventionally a carburetor- 26 of any desired type having a throttle 28 adjacent the flange 30 which connects it to the inlet manifold. Y

According to my invention, the carburetorshould be adjusted to. deliver arieh mixture of substantially .constant richness throughout the entire rangel of operation ex,-` cept at very slow speeds at which it may be adjusted to get a, diiferent mixture if desired. All the mixture from the carburetor is delivered unchanged to the passageways V221in front of the inletports of the engine and the control is accomplished by adding to the mixture thus delivered as it enters the inlet ports, pure air heated to -a high temperature. It will be obvious, however, that in its broad aspects my invention is not limited to this method ot obtaining theiinal result desired, which result can also be obtained by diluting the mixture to the desired richness with unheated air and subsequently heating the mixture to the desired temperature.

My improved valve for automatically controlling the dilution ofthe mixture comprises in this instance a stationarytube 32 clamped in a split cylinder 84 projecting from a cover 36 fastened to the front of the manifold, by means of clamping screws 38. The under surface et the cover is arched (Fig. 4) and' cooperates with la gasket 40 clamped in place between the cover and the body of the manifold to detine a passage 42. From the passage 42 air may low through a centrally located aperture 44 (see Fig. l) 'in the gasket 40, into a flat chamber 46 formed inside lthe boxlike exhaust manifold, which chamber extends as shown in F ig. 3 from above one inlet port to above the other and provides a large'surface exposed to the heat of the exhaust gases and making Contact Vwith the air within the chamber to provide ample means for conducting heat from the vexhaust vgase's'to the dilution air so as to raise the airrto a very high temperature. The heated air enters the passageways 22 through small verticalpassages 48 (see Fig. 5) extending downwardly from the extreme corners of the -chamber 46. Y

An inner plunger 50 yreciprocates within Ythe tube 32 being urged downwardly by the force of a compression spring 52 housed in the upper end of the tube, and is provided with a port54 near its upperV end and with ports 56 near Vits lowerv end, adapted upon elevation of Ythe plunger to move more or less into register with the outletfport 58 leading 1 from the 'tube into theY passageway 42 and with the inletports 60 near the lower end of the sleeve. As the chamber 46, passageway 42 andthe vinterior of the plunger 50 are 1n Yplunger 50 will, unless air is flowing through the plunger, be precisely the same as that in the inlet passages leading to the engine. The development of suction in the inlet pas sages will therefore permit atmospheric pressure acting on the bottom of the plunger Ito raise it and move the plunger carried ports more or less into register with the tube ports.

Outside the lower end of the tube l mount an outer sleeve 62 cut down as at 64 to form shoulders engaging a pin 66 se as to limit the rotation or' the outer sleeve to about 1800. The outer sleeve is provided with ports 68 adapted to be moved into and out of register with the ports 60 in `the tube by rotation of the outer sleeve. Referring to Figs. 6 and l, it will be seen that the radially projecting arm 70 carried by the outer sleeve 62, and the throttle control arm 72 are connected by a vertical pin 7 4 extending through the outer ends of both, to which pin the control rod 75 used by the operator for controlling the engine is to be connected. The outer sleeve 62 and plunger 50 may both be held against downward displacement by a single cotter pin 76 passed through apertures adjacent the extreme lower end of tube 32, and the plunger may be prevented Yfrom rotating by any suitable means such as a small pin 78 reciprocating with the plungerl and projecting into vertical slots 8O cut in the tube 32. The operation of the device is as ollows:-

Ports 68 are so arranged as to be moved gradually into register with ports 60 as the throttle is opened so that at all throttle positions except an almost closed throttle more or less dilution would be permitted and with the throttle wide open, a maximum would be possible. lVith the throttle wide open, however, the operator requires maximum power trom the engine. lt will be seen that throwing Ythe throttle wide open will permit the pressure in the inlet passages to become practically atmospheric so that plunger 50 will move down to the position shown in Fig. 4 under the action of spring 52 and no dilution will occur. A cold rich mixture is thus automatically delivered to the engine as long as the throttle remains wide open.

Suppose, however, that after accelerating to a moderate speed the operator partly closes the throttle to prevent further aeceleration thereby preventing the engine from developing a heavy torque, so that the operation is one at a moderate speed and moderate load. Under such circumstances, the throttle controlled ports 68 will be partly in register with the tube ports (it) and the partial vacuum in the inlet passages caused b v partial closure of the throttle will move the plunger ports 56 and 54 partly into register so that air ivill tloiv through the heating,- chamber ll@ and the mixture entering; the inlet ports ol the engine will he diluted with hot air to produce the lean hot mixture required :tor economical operation.

W'hen the engine is idling the throttle is completely closed and the ports G8 are completely out of register so that so lar as 'the operation or the ports is concerned, no dilution should occur and a cold rich mixture would he delivered to tho engine. Under these conditions, however, the vacuum in the inlet passages is very high and the mass ot gas flowing through them is very lonT to the low speed ot the engine and the attenuation ot the gras itsell by the lou7 pressure. The sleeve 62 may readily be designed so as to lit rather loosely on the tube 32 and i,ermit a leakage Which when the suction is high and the volume oi lloiv low, will have a very appreciable ellect on the resulting` mixture, although it is practically negligible under all other conditions due t0 the great increase in thev volui'u-e oi `tloiv and the decrease in the suction. llt will be seen that 'tor controllingthe idling,` mixture l rely upon an entirely independent function inherent in the design ot the parts used, which hinction may be varied Without any appreciable ettect except when the engine is idling. For maximum economy the carburetor may he adjusted to supply a constant. mixture at all speeds so that the mixture when idling will be rather leen and hot. For users `who prefer convenience to economy, however, it will be obvious that the use ol? any one ot the .vell known 'types oit carburetor capable of increasing the richness ot the mixture deliver-ed therefrom at very low rates ot tloiv, Will malte possible the furnishing),v of a hot mixture which is nevertheless rich enough to permit the engine to be throttled dovvn to a very lo7 speed.

lhe internal combustion engines employed in present day motor vehicles are ol course des led to operate at the necessary speed to drive the ear at the maximum speed at which intended to be driven without develoiiiing tierces duo to the inertia oit the pistons, connecting rods and other movable parts greater than are permissible with safety. lilith properly designed inlet passages such an engine can also be operated at the maximum speed lor which it is intended Without developing,` more than a very slight vacuum in the inlet passages provided the throttle is Wide open. Such an engine, however, when not connected to a load is apt to develop a .speed with the throttle Wide open such that the inertia oit the parts Will develop torces silftlcient to injure or even wreck the engine, and an inexperienced or careless driver may readily injure an engine by thus operating; it.

ln an engine equip led with my improve control system the strength olf springiil may be readily designed so that with a Wi de onen lthrottle the engine can develop the nuirt mum power oit which it is capable when connected to the load it is intend l to carv, without developingsui'licieiiit vacuum to nermit any appreciable dilution ol the uiifitlire, which dilution would cut down the availahlle power.

increase in the speed ot the engi this point will, however, increase um in the inlet passages in propo ion to the square oli the speen, so that it the throttle is thronf'n Wide open Without a load on the on- ;Ejine, as soon as the engine begin to race, plunger 50 will be liiltd and may even rise -ie above to lering ports 5G completely into p ster with ports (SO. The parts are de cned so that `with ports *38 iiiiartly in regi, er and ports partly in resister, dilution will oecur su'liicient to deliver the hot lean mii;w ture necessary tor maximun'i economy at moderate loads. lit will be seen that the dilution in case both sets ot ports are coinpletely i?. rt 'iter will be much ,greater than this so that the mixture may easily be diluted to a point where it Will not ignite, or at least it will become so 'weak and be so lfot that even `without any load the engine 'will he unable to develop such excessive speed as to injure itselt.

"lflfithout turher elaboration, the loregd ing); will so 'tully explain the gigiiit o'l' this invention that others can, by applying current lrnoivledge, readily adapt it Yfor varions applications without omitting),- certain features that, trom the standpoint of the prior art, apparently constitute the es intial characters ol the generic aspects ol this invention, and thereilore such adaptations should and are intended to be con'iprehended Within the meaning' and range olf equivalenc7 oi the 'following claims.

l claim as my invention:

l. lln combination with an internal combustion engine having an inlet manifold, an exhaust manifold and a carburetor, tivo valve means in series, one ont said valve means tending; to permit a ilovv ot air increasing with increased throttle opening, and the other valve means tending to permit a flow oit air increasing` With increased vacuum in the inlet manifold, means 'lor heating the air flowing); through said valves, and means for deliverinn` the heated air into the mixture from the carburetor, said lirst mentioned valve means permitting` appreci able leakage at high vacuums.

2. ln a device ot the class described, an :ihaust manifold, a chamber formed in Said manifold and exposed to the heat ot the er, haust gases, the corners ol said chamber eirtendinp; to points over the inlet ports ot the engine, passageivays virom the corners of titl said chamber into the inlet ports, and a centrally located air inlet for said chamber.

3. In a device of the class described, an exhaust manifold, a chamber in said mani fold exposed to the heat of the exhaust gases, passageways from the ends of the chamber to the inlet ports of the engine, and a gasket overlying` the chamber, said gasket having an air inlet located centrally between the ends of the chamber.

4. In a device of the class described, a carburetor having a rotatable throttle, a tube having its axis coincident with the axis of the throttle a rotatable sleeve on said tube, means for rotating the sleeve and the throttle simultaneously, ports in the sleeve and in the tube adaptedV to be moved into register as the throttle opens, a resiliently held plunger inside the tube, ports in said plunger and tube, and means for moving said plunger ports into register in proportion to the vacuum in the inlet passages.

5.'In a device of the class described, an

exhaust manifold, walls formed in said exn haust manifold deiining a chamber therein exposed to the heat of the exhaust gases and open to the atmosphere, a gasket overlying` said chamber and a cover overlying said gasket, said cover being arched to provide a passageway between itself and the gasket, said gasket having an aperture centrally located between its ends and passageways from opposite ends of the chamber to the inlet ports of the engine. Y, 6. In a device of the class described, an exhaust manifold, walls formed in said exhaust manifold defining a chamber therein exposed to the heat of the exhaust gases and open to the atmosphere, a gasket overlying said chamber, and a cover overlying said gasket, saidcover being arched to provide a passageway between itself and the gasket.

7. In a device of the class described, an

exhaust manifold, walls formed in said exhaust manifold defining a chamber therein exposed to the heat of the exhaust gases and open to the atmosphere, a gasket overlying said chamber, and a cover overlying said gasket, said cover being arched to provide a passageway between itself and the gasket. said gasket having an aperture located inidway between its ends and said cover having an aperture located without reference to the location of the aperture in the gasket.

8. In a device of the class described, an exhaust manifold and an inlet manifold, means associated with said exhaust manifold and deriving heat therefrom for delivering heated dilution air into the mixture supplied to the engine, and a plurality of valve means in series controlling the supply of heated dilution air, the dilution air passing first through said valve means in a cold conn dition and subsequently through said heating means.

In a device of the class described, an exhaust manifold having apertured bosses extending down over the inlet ports of the engine to deline short passageways communicating' with the inlet ports, a chamber housed in said exhaust manifold and exposed to the heatiof the exhaust gases, and passageways from said chamber opening into the passageways in said bosses.

l0. In a device of the class described, an exhaust manifold having a separate chamber formed in it, said chamber being exposed to the heat of the exhaust gases, an air inlet to said chamber, and passageways from the chamber to said inlet ports of the engine., lill@ paths from said air inlet, to the inlet ports being substantially equal.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

IRVEN H. VVILSEY. 

